Gate.



No. 863,815. PATENTED AUG. 20, 1907.

E. VAN GLEAVE.

GATE.

I APPLIOATION FILED APE.26,1907.

EMMERT VAN OLEAVE, OF MEEKER, COLORADO.

GATE

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 20, 1907.

Application filed April 26,1907. Serial No. 370,422.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMMERT VAN OLEAVE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Meeker, in the county of Rio Blanco and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gates, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof. Y

My invention has relation to improvements in gates; and it consists in the novel construction of gate more fully set forth in the specification and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a section of a fence showing my invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section on the line 22 of Fig, 1; Fig. 3 is a top plan of the locking mechanism; and Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the outer end of the arm on which the spring-controlled latch is mounted.

The object of my invention is to construct a gate which will swing open or shut at a substantially uniform rate of speed so that there is no danger of breaking the gate from excessive slamming; one which will remain locked in either its closed or open position; one readily manipulated from either side of the fence, and one possessing further and other advantages better apparent from detailed description of the invention which is as follows.

Referring to the drawings, F, represents a fence, G, the swinging gate hinged to the post P, all of well known constructions. Secured to the top of the gate; and projecting in the plane thereof, and rearwardly of the hinge-axis of the gate is an arm 1 along the under surface of which is mounted in suitable bearings or lugs 2, 2, a latchbar 3, one end of which terminates in a bevel tooth or latch proper 4, the opposite or outer end terminating in a head 5 provided with a transverse slot 6. The bar 3 is actuated in one direction by an expanding spring 7 coiled about the bar between the lugs 2, 2, one end of the spring bearing against one of the lugs, and the opposite end secured to the bar, a very well known form of construction. The top of the post P carries a locking plate 8 having a curved riding edge for the travel of the latch i, the spring 7 forcing the latch into engagement with the central notch n, or one of the outer notches n n according to the angle to which the gate has been swung. Pivoted to the arm 1 about a stud 9 is a tripping or releasing lever 10, the short arm being provided with a pin 11 which engages the transverse slot 6 of the head 5 of the latch-bar. The end of the long arm of the lever 10 is secured to the adjacent ends of the cords 0, each cord passing over a pulley 12 at the end of a bracket or arm 13 projecting from a pole 1 1 secured to a frame A, on opposite sides of the fence. The end of the arm 1 is secured to the adjacent end of a third cord 0 passing over a pulley 15 secured to a fence post, the lower end of the cord 0 carrying a weight W.

The gate is preferably swung with its hinge axis a trifle out of the perpendicular so it may automatically swing after being started in a given direction, the upper pivot thereof being in the pin 16 which secures the arm 1 to the post P. Depending on which side of the fence the operator may be stationed, he pulls a cord 0 by seizing the same by its terminal knob or ring 17, the tension on the cord oscillating the lever 10 about its pivot 9, the slight are through which the pin 11 traversing the slot 6 must pass, being sufficient to retract the latch-bar 3 and disengage the latch l from the central notch n of the locking plate 8. The draft on the cord 0 if continued will start the gate swinging in the same direction, the latch 4 riding along the curved edge of the plate 8 until it comes opposite the outer notch n, when the spring 7 will force the latch into saidnotch and lock the gate. The gate will thus remain locked in an open position. It may of course be returned by hand to its closed position, or it may be closed by drawing on the opposite cord 0 which will disengage the latch 4 from the watch n, the weight W assisting the gate in such return as it exerts a constant draft on the arm 1. The moment a cord 0 is released, the spring '7 will of course swing the lever 10 into parallelism with the latch-bar 3 as is obvious. It is practically impossible to slam the gate as it will swing only so fast and no faster. The collar 18 on the bar 3 limits the movement of the latch-bar in the direction of the notches n, n so as not to enter too far, and thus prevent the retraction of the latch 4 under the limited movement to which the bar is subjected by the arcuate travel of the pin 11 on the lever 10.

- Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination with a hingedgzite, a stationary post at the hinge-axis of the gate, a locking plate on the post having an outer curved edge, and notches disposed along said edge, an arm on the gate extending rearwardly of its hinge axis and superposed above the notched plate, a spring controlled latch adapted to engage the notches, and mounted to reciprocate on the arm, a transversely slotted head at the end of the bar opposite from the latch, a tripping lever pivoted to the arm and having a pin traversing the slotted head of the latch-bar, and a cord or chain coupled to the lever for oscillating the same, thereby retracting the latch from its notch, and at the .same time drawing on the gate to start the swinging of the same in the direction of the original draft on the cord, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with a hinged-gate, a stationary post at the hinge-axis of the gate, a notched locking plate having a curved riding edge, secured to the post, an arm on the gate extending rearwardly above the plate, a spring-controlled reciprocating latch-bar mounted on the arm, an oscillating tripping lever on the arm adapted to retract the bar from engagement with the notches of the locking plate by an oscillation of the lever in either direction from its normal central position on the arm, a cord for oscillating the tripping lever, and a weighted cord secured to the arm, the parts operating substantially as, and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

EMMERT VAN CLEAVE.

Witnesses HENRY J. HAY, BURTON VAN CLEAVE. 

